Locking device for scooter when being telescopically collapsed

ABSTRACT

A locking device is provided for a scooter when being telescopically collapsed to lock the steering shaft when being folded and to lock a telescopic front frame when being telescopically collapsed. The locking device includes a steering shaft locking unit is coupled to a pivot seat of a telescopic front frame and a pivot portion of the steering shaft. The steering shaft locking unit is at least provided to hold the steering shaft in place when being in a horizontally folded mode. A front frame telescopically collapsed locking unit includes a first positioning portion disposed on a shank section of the steering shaft and a second positioning portion disposed on one of a rear frame and a foldable seat. The first positioning portion and the second positioning portion are engaged to each other for positioning the telescopically collapsed front frame when the steering shaft is in a horizontally folded mode.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON COMPACT DISC

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an innovative locking devicefor a scooter when being telescopically collapsed.

2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98

The vehicle body of the known scooters is usually folded to reduce thevolume, which is to say, the center section of vehicle body is providedwith a hinge, so that the front portion and rear portion of vehicle bodycan be folded via the hinge, so as to reduce the volume of vehicle body.Certainly, the folded state must be combined with a locking componentfor steady positioning.

The scooter body volume-reduced form to be discussed in the presentinvention refers to a horizontally extended axial telescopicallycollapsed form between the front and rear vehicle bodies. A mutuallyinserted slide fit of inner and outer tube supports is usually usedbetween the front and rear vehicle bodies of this type of scooter,forming the structural feature that the vehicle body length is changedby horizontal telescoping, so that the front and rear vehicle bodies canbe telescopically collapsed. However, this known structure still hassome defects in practical application. It may because in order toposition the sliding telescoping state of the inner and outer tubesupports, the circle usually fixes a locking device in at least aposition of the outer tube support. However, besides the front and rearvehicle bodies, the scooter volume reducing structures include thesteering shaft, the seat and so on. Therefore, if each structure isprovided with an independent locking device, the components will be toocomplex, the operation is inconvenient.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a lockingdevice for scooter when being telescopically collapsed. The lockingdevice for telescopically collapsed state is disposed on the scooterstructure for locking the steering shaft of the scooter when beingfolded and the telescopic front frame when being telescopicallycollapsed. The scooter comprises a rear frame and a telescopic frontframe arranged on a horizontal axis. The rear frame is provided with afoldable seat. The telescopic front frame can optionally slide to extendor shorten along the horizontal axis against the telescopic front frame.The steering shaft comprises a handlebar, a pivot portion and a shanksection. The pivot portion is pivoted on the pivot seat of thetelescopic front frame, so that the steering shaft can optionally swingup and down along the horizontal axis, forming an upright operating modeand a horizontally folded mode.

Based on said purpose, the technical characteristics of problem solvingof the present invention are that said locking device for telescopicallycollapsed state comprises a steering shaft locking unit, which iscoupled to a pivot seat of a telescopic front frame and a pivot portionof the steering shaft, the steering shaft locking unit is at leastprovided to hold the steering shaft in place when being in ahorizontally folded mode; a front frame telescopically collapsed lockingunit, which includes a first positioning portion disposed on a shanksection of the steering shaft and a second positioning portion disposedon one of a rear frame and a foldable seat, when the steering shaft isin a horizontally folded mode, the first positioning portion and thesecond positioning portion are engaged to each other for positioning thetelescopically collapsed front frame.

In terms of the effects and advantages of the present invention, basedon the locking device for telescopically collapsed state, the foldedsteering shaft can fix and restrain the telescopic front frame whenbeing telescopically collapsed, effectively preventing the telescopicfront frame from slipping forward, and the front frame telescopicallycollapsed locking unit comprises the first positioning portion of theshank section of steering shaft and the second positioning portiondisposed on one of a rear frame and a foldable seat, the structure isvery simple and easy to be manufactured and assembled. Therefore, saidlocking device for telescopically collapsed state of the presentinvention has such practical progressiveness and better industrialeconomic benefit as better structure locking effect, simple positioningstructure and lower manufacturing cost.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is the combined stereogram of the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is the combined side view of the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is the partially exploded view of the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 is the combined stereogram of the folded scooter of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is the combined side view of the folded scooter of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is the close-up view of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is the sectional view of the steering shaft of the presentinvention in upright operating mode.

FIG. 8 is the sectional view of the steering shaft of the presentinvention in horizontally folded mode.

FIG. 9 is the sectional view of the locking component of the presentinvention in lock status.

FIG. 10 is the sectional view of the locking component of the presentinvention in released state.

FIG. 11 shows the embodiment of the first positioning portion of thepresent invention as a projecting object.

FIG. 12 shows another embodiment of the first and second positioningportions of the present invention in fitted form.

FIG. 13 is the sectional view of local structure corresponding to thestate disclosed in FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 13, said locking device for telescopicallycollapsed state is disposed on a scooter A (an electric scooter ingeneral) structure for locking a steering shaft 10 of the scooter A whenbeing folded and a telescopic front frame 30 when being telescopicallycollapsed in horizontally axial direction; wherein the scooter Acomprises a rear frame 20 and a telescopic front frame 30 arranged alonga horizontal axis. The rear frame 20 is provided with a foldable seat40. The telescopic front frame 30 can optionally slide to extend orshorten along the horizontal axis against the rear frame 20. Thesteering shaft 10 comprises a handlebar 11, a pivot portion 12 and ashank section 13 between the handlebar 11 and the pivot portion 12. Thepivot portion 12 is pivoted on a pivot seat 31 of the telescopic frontframe 30 via a pivot 121, so that the steering shaft 10 can optionallyswing up and down along the horizontal axis, forming an uprightoperating mode (as shown in FIG. 7) and a horizontally folded mode (asshown in FIG. 8). The locking device for telescopically collapsed statecomprises a steering shaft locking unit 50, which is coupled to thepivot seat 31 of the telescopic front frame 30 and the pivot portion 12of the steering shaft 10, the steering shaft locking unit 50 is at leastprovided to position the steering shaft 10 when being in a horizontallyfolded mode; a front frame telescopically collapsed locking unit 60,comprising a first positioning portion 61 located in the shank section13 of the steering shaft 10 and a second positioning portion 62 locatedin any structure of the rear frame 20 and the foldable seat 40. When thesteering shaft 10 is in a horizontally folded mode (as shown in FIGS. 4and 5), the first positioning portion 61 and the second positioningportion 62 are engaged to each other (as shown in FIG. 6), so as toposition the telescopic front frame 30 when being telescopicallycollapsed in horizontally axial direction.

Based on said structure type and technical characteristics, the presentinvention uses the locking device for telescopically collapsed state tolock the steering shaft 10 of the scooter A when being folded and thetelescopic front frame 30 when being telescopically collapsed inhorizontally axial direction, so that the folded steering shaft 10 canfix and restrain the telescopic front frame 30 when being telescopicallycollapsed in horizontally axial direction, effectively preventing thetelescopic front frame 30 from slipping forward, and the front frametelescopically collapsed locking unit 60 comprises a first positioningportion 61 of the shank section 13 of steering shaft 10 and a secondpositioning portion 62 located in any structure of a rear frame 20 and afoldable seat 40, the structure is very simple and easy to bemanufactured and assembled, so as to implement better structure lockingeffect and simplify the positioning structure, the manufacturing cost isreduced. Moreover, when the steering shaft 10 is locked in folded state,the shank section 13 can form a carrying handle part for the user tolift the whole scooter ?.

As shown in FIG. 3, in this case, the steering shaft locking unit 50comprises an upright mode locating hole 51 and a horizontal modelocating hole 52 in different positions in the pivot seat 31 structureof the telescopic front frame 30, and a locking component 53 located inthe pivot portion 12 of the steering shaft 10. The locking component 53has an inserted link part 531, when the steering shaft 10 is in uprightoperating mode, as shown in FIG. 7, the inserted link part 531 isinserted in the upright mode locating hole 51; when the steering shaft10 is in horizontally folded mode, as shown in FIG. 8, the inserted linkpart 531 is inserted in the horizontal mode locating hole 52, so thatthe steering shaft 10 can be positioned when it is in upright operatingmode and horizontally folded mode. The locking component 53 on the pivotportion 12 structure of the steering shaft 10 is any form of a springlocation column (also known as index pin) and a latch. In this case, aspring location column is used as the locking component 53, as shown inFIG. 9, the steering shaft 10 is in upright operating mode, the insertedlink part 531 of locking component 53 is inserted in the upright modelocating hole 51 and locked. as shown in FIG. 10, when the user wants toadjust the mode of steering shaft 10, the locking component 53 can bepulled (Arrow L1) to disengage the inserted link part 531 from theupright mode locating hole 51, the steering shaft 10 is released, andthen it can be swung.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, in this case, the first positioning portion 61of the front frame telescopically collapsed locking unit 60 is aprojecting ring piece (e.g. a plastic ring or a metal ring) fitted overthe shank section 13 of the steering shaft 10. The foldable seat 40includes a seat pad 41, the second positioning portion 62 comprises twowall margins on the rear side edge of the seat pad 41. When the steeringshaft 10 is in horizontally folded mode, the height of the firstpositioning portion 61 of the projecting ring piece is lower than theheight of the second positioning portion 62 formed of two wall marginson the rear side edge of the seat pad 41, so that the second positioningportion 62 and the first positioning portion 61 prop each otherhorizontally. This case describes that the second positioning portion 62can be directly formed of two wall margins on the rear side edge of theseat pad 41, so it is unnecessary to mount any other components.

As shown in FIG. 11, in this case, the first positioning portion 61B ofthe front frame telescopically collapsed locking unit 60 is at least aprojecting object form on circumferential side edge of the shank section13 of the steering shaft 10 (a rigid convex pin or a lug, two convexpins in this case). The second positioning portion 62 comprises two wallmargins on the rear side edge of the seat pad 41. When the steeringshaft 10 is in horizontally folded mode. The height of the firstpositioning portion 61B of the projecting object form is lower than theheight of the second positioning portion 62 formed of two wall marginson the rear side edge of the seat pad 41, so that the second positioningportion 62 and the first positioning portion 61B prop each otherhorizontally. This case describes that the first positioning portion 61is not limited to said ring piece form, it can be the first positioningportion 61B disclosed in this case, which is at least a projectingobject form on the circumferential side edge of the shank section 13 ofthe steering shaft 10.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, in this case, a seat back 411 is disposed onthe rear side edge of the seat pad 41. The seat pad 41 and the seat back411 are provided with a concave edge 412 respectively. When the steeringshaft 10 is in horizontally folded mode, the shank section 13 of thesteering shaft 10 at least partially falls into the two concave edges412. The technical feature of the seat pad 41 and seat back 411 with theconcave edges 412 disclosed in this case allows the shank section 13 ofsteering shaft 10 to partially or fully get in, the height of the foldedsteering shaft 10 is further reduced, the overall volume of the scooterA in folded state can be further reduced.

As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, in this case, the first positioning portion61C of the front frame telescopically collapsed locking unit 60 is aprojecting object form located at one side of periphery of the shanksection 13 of the steering shaft 10; and the second positioning portion62C is any form of a recess or a hole in the rear frame 20 structure.This implementation pattern describes that the second positioningportion 62 is not limited to the form on the seat pad 41 structure ofscooter A disclosed above, it can be the implementation pattern on therear frame 20 structure disclosed in this case.

I claim:
 1. A locking device for scooter when being telescopicallycollapsed, the locking device for telescopically collapsed state isdisposed on a scooter structure for locking a steering shaft of thescooter when being folded and a telescopic front frame when beingtelescopically collapsed; wherein the scooter comprises a rear frame anda telescopic front frame arranged along a horizontal axis; the rearframe is provided with a foldable seat, the telescopic front frame canoptionally slide to extend or shorten along the horizontal axis againstthe rear frame; the steering shaft comprise comprises a handlebar, apivot portion and a shank section between the handlebar and the pivotportion; the pivot portion is pivoted on a pivot seat of the telescopicfront frame via a pivot, so that the steering shaft can optionally swingup and down along the horizontal axis, forming an upright operating modeand a horizontally folded mode: the locking device for telescopicallycollapsed state comprises: a steering shaft locking unit, coupled to thepivot seat of the telescopic front frame and the pivot portion of thesteering shaft, the steering shaft locking unit is at least provided toposition the steering shaft when being in a horizontally folded mode; afront frame telescopically collapsed locking unit, including a firstpositioning portion disposed on the shank section of the steering shaftand a second positioning portion located in any structure of the rearframe or the foldable seat; when the steering shaft is in horizontallyfolded mode, the first positioning portion and the second positioningportion are engaged to each other, so as to position the telescopicfront frame when being telescopically collapsed in horizontally axialdirection.
 2. The locking device for scooter when being telescopicallycollapsed defined in claim 1, wherein the steering shaft locking unitcomprises an upright mode locating hole and a horizontal mode locatinghole in different positions in the pivot seat structure of thetelescopic front frame, and a locking component located in the pivotportion structure of the steering shaft; the locking component has aninserted link, when the steering shaft is in the upright operating mode,the inserted link is inserted in the upright mode locating hole, whenthe steering shaft is in horizontally folded mode, the inserted link isinserted in the horizontal mode locating hole, so that the steeringshaft can be positioned in the upright operating mode and horizontallyfolded mode.
 3. The locking device for scooter when being telescopicallycollapsed defined in claim 2, the locking component located in the pivotportion structure of the steering shaft is any form of a spring locationcolumn or a latch.
 4. The locking device for scooter when beingtelescopically collapsed defined in claim 1, wherein the firstpositioning portion of the front frame telescopically collapsed lockingunit is a projecting ring piece fitted over the shank section of thesteering shaft; the foldable seat includes a seat pad, the secondpositioning portion comprises at least a wall margin on the rear sideedge of the seat pad; when the steering shaft is in horizontally foldedmode, the height of the first positioning portion of the projecting ringpiece is lower than the height of the second positioning portion formedof at least a wall margin on the rear side edge of the seat pad, so thatthe second positioning portion and the first positioning portion propeach other horizontally.
 5. The locking device for scooter when beingtelescopically collapsed defined in claim 2, wherein the firstpositioning portion of the front frame telescopically collapsed lockingunit is a projecting ring piece fitted over the shank section of thesteering shaft; the foldable seat includes a seat pad, the secondpositioning portion comprises at least a wall margin on the rear sideedge of the seat pad; when the steering shaft is in horizontally foldedmode, the height of the first positioning portion of the projecting ringpiece is lower than the height of the second positioning portion formedof at least a wall margin on the rear side edge of the seat pad, so thatthe second positioning portion and the first positioning portion propeach other horizontally.
 6. The locking device for scooter when beingtelescopically collapsed defined in claim 1, wherein the firstpositioning portion 61 of the front frame telescopically collapsedlocking unit is at least a projecting object form on the circumferentialside edge of the shank section of the steering shaft; the secondpositioning portion comprises at least a wall margin on the rear sideedge of the seat pad; when the steering shaft is in horizontally foldedmode, the height of the first positioning portion of the projectingobject form is lower than the height of the second positioning portionformed of at least a wall margin on the rear side edge of the seat pad,so that the second positioning portion and the first positioning portionprop each other horizontally.
 7. The locking device for scooter whenbeing telescopically collapsed defined in claim 2, wherein the firstpositioning portion 61 of the front frame telescopically collapsedlocking unit is at least a projecting object form on the circumferentialside edge of the shank section of the steering shaft; the secondpositioning portion comprises at least a wall margin on the rear sideedge of the seat pad; when the steering shaft is in horizontally foldedmode, the height of the first positioning portion of the projectingobject form is lower than the height of the second positioning portionformed of at least a wall margin on the rear side edge of the seat pad,so that the second positioning portion and the first positioning portionprop each other horizontally.
 8. The locking device for scooter whenbeing telescopically collapsed defined in claim 1, wherein a seat backis disposed on the rear side edge of the seat pad, the seat pad, and theseat back are provided with a concave edge respectively, when thesteering shaft is in horizontally folded mode, the shank section of thesteering shaft at least partially falls into the two concave edges. 9.The locking device for scooter when being telescopically collapseddefined in claim 1, wherein the first positioning portion of the frontframe telescopically collapsed locking unit is a projecting object formlocated at one side of periphery of the shank section of the steeringshaft; the second positioning portion is any form of a recess or a holein the rear frame structure.
 10. The locking device for scooter whenbeing telescopically collapsed defined in claim 2, wherein the firstpositioning portion of the front frame telescopically collapsed lockingunit is a projecting object form located at one side of periphery of theshank section of the steering shaft; the second positioning portion isany form of a recess or a hole in the rear frame structure.